Can the U.S. produce its own Messi or Ronaldo?

Updated 1740 GMT (0140 HKT) June 20, 2016

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

Clint Dempsey -- who has scored 52 goals in 129 caps for the U.S. team -- is one of the country's most celebrated players. He turned pro at 20 after playing college soccer -- an advanced age compared to his European peers.

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

Now 33, he has led the U.S. to the semifinals of the Copa America tournament it is hosting, with the Americans to next face Lionel Messi's Argentina.

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

On the bench for Jurgen Klinsmann's U.S. side is 17-year-old midfielder Christian Pulisic, who has broken into the first team at top German club Borussia Dortmund.

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

Pulisic is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Julian Green, who at 19, became the youngest American to score in a World Cup when he netted against Belgium at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. Green, who has a German mother, is yet to win a regular place at Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich.

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

Freddy Adu was once hyped as a future American star, and featured on a Sports Illustrated cover at age 15. He moved to Europe early on but returned to the U.S. in 2015 after failing to establish himself at a series of clubs.

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

Cobi Jones is one of the few African-Americans to star for the U.S. national team, with a record 164 caps, and starred on home soil at the '94 World Cup. U.S. youth soccer had been criticized for excluding minorities because of pay-to-play systems, but MLS academies now employ an all-inclusive culture.

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

The U.S. men have not reached the World Cup quarterfinals since 2002. The 2014 team (pictured) lost in the last 16 against Belgium in Brazil.

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

The 2010 team also lost in the last 16, but notably topped its group ahead of England to the delight of a traveling contingent of 40,000 American fans in South Africa.

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

Veteran goalkeeper Tim Howard, who spent 13 years in England's Premier League, has been one of the USA's leading international performers.

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

However, the former Everton and Manchester United player has been replaced in the U.S. goal by Brad Guzan -- in yellow -- whose English club Aston Villa has dropped out of the Premier League.

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

The U.S. women's team has had considerable success on the international stage, winning the World Cup for the third time in 2015.

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Photos:American soccer on the global stage

USWNT star Carli Lloyd shared the stage with superstar Lionel Messi as they were named the best players in the world for 2015 at the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala in Zurich, Switzerland.

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U.S. soccer's bid to become one of the top men's teams is hampered by the comparatively late domestic development of its players, compared to those in Europe.